THE Gauteng government is not serious about empowering the youth with skills but instead engages in public relations and window-dressing exercises, a group of youths has said.
Several youths enrolled for learnerships with the department of infrastructure development (DID) under the National Youth Service are disillusioned and feel short-changed by the NYS initiative.
The youths complain that they have not been paid their stipends, and that others have only been paid once.
The youths also complain that they are not doing the courses for which they enrolled and, worst still, are not even being trained or taught anything. They were supposed to be trained in artisan fields such as plumbing and electrical work.
"No one has ever come here to see if we are working and being trained properly," said learner Frank Maake, who is stationed at the Helen Joseph Hospital.
The department stationed 15 youths at the provincial hospital in May. They were to start work in June. Maake is one of four who are still reporting for the learnership.
Youths in Ekurhuleni who are also on the learnership programme have similar complaints.
Last week they were turned away when they visited the DID office in central Johannesburg.
Grace Kekana, who is stationed at Helen Joseph, said: "They gave us the same runaround. We arrived here and were told we would be paid the following week.
"But that's what they said last week. They have been making empty promises for months."
DID spokesman Philemon Motshwaedi said: "This programme caters for more than 3609 learners and only a few are affected (by the non-payment).
"The coordinators are visiting the various regions to verify the information of learners against records already in our possession with a view to making sure that their details are correct to assist those who have not submitted their correct banking details to open savings accounts."
But the youths deny this, saying they gave full and correct personal banking details.
ANC Youth League spokeswoman Magdaline Moonsamy said: "The NYS is a brainchild of the youth league. It's not ideal to have skills development without the necessary support for the learners.
"We cannot have a number intake that is not sustainable."
Youth 'tired of empty promises'
THE Gauteng government is not serious about empowering the youth with skills but instead engages in public relations and window-dressing exercises, a group of youths has said.
Several youths enrolled for learnerships with the department of infrastructure development (DID) under the National Youth Service are disillusioned and feel short-changed by the NYS initiative.
The youths complain that they have not been paid their stipends, and that others have only been paid once.
The youths also complain that they are not doing the courses for which they enrolled and, worst still, are not even being trained or taught anything. They were supposed to be trained in artisan fields such as plumbing and electrical work.
"No one has ever come here to see if we are working and being trained properly," said learner Frank Maake, who is stationed at the Helen Joseph Hospital.
The department stationed 15 youths at the provincial hospital in May. They were to start work in June. Maake is one of four who are still reporting for the learnership.
Youths in Ekurhuleni who are also on the learnership programme have similar complaints.
Last week they were turned away when they visited the DID office in central Johannesburg.
Grace Kekana, who is stationed at Helen Joseph, said: "They gave us the same runaround. We arrived here and were told we would be paid the following week.
"But that's what they said last week. They have been making empty promises for months."
DID spokesman Philemon Motshwaedi said: "This programme caters for more than 3609 learners and only a few are affected (by the non-payment).
"The coordinators are visiting the various regions to verify the information of learners against records already in our possession with a view to making sure that their details are correct to assist those who have not submitted their correct banking details to open savings accounts."
But the youths deny this, saying they gave full and correct personal banking details.
ANC Youth League spokeswoman Magdaline Moonsamy said: "The NYS is a brainchild of the youth league. It's not ideal to have skills development without the necessary support for the learners.
"We cannot have a number intake that is not sustainable."